Chapter 191: Alliance and Ambitions
The new students, eager to avoid making their senior mentors wait, returned to the dormitory gates in less than fifteen minutes. From there, they proceeded to the academy's dining hall.
"The academy has two dining halls, one in the north and one in the west. We're heading to the western one, known as the Second Dining Hall," explained Duweenie.
From a distance, the sheer size of the Second Dining Hall was already striking. Upon closer inspection, they noticed an announcement board at the entrance, listing the day's recommended dishes:
Special of the Day: Crystal Mushrooms from the Underground Realm, slightly enhancing mental activity. Price: 20 gold coins per serving.
Special of the Day: Electric Spine Lizard Meat from Zone 1, slightly strengthening physical constitution. Price: 12 gold coins per serving.
Special of the Day: Rainbow Icefish from the Underground Realm, slightly increasing ice element resistance. Price: 30 contribution points per serving, available only for second-level wizard apprentices or above.
The announcement board was filled with similar listings, drawing a crowd of apprentices who appeared to be deep in discussion. Snippets of complaints about the exorbitant prices could be overheard.
Duweenie addressed the curious looks of the new students. "Food here has to be purchased, and prices vary. The dishes on the announcement board are among the most expensive. Even we seniors can only afford them occasionally."
She smiled knowingly and added, "Still, these delicacies are worth their price. On most days, they're sold out quickly, and some dishes are restricted to certain levels of students."
The new students were stunned by the pricing. Even those from affluent noble families had rarely encountered meals costing over ten or twenty gold coins per dish. The numbers seemed outright extortionate to them.
Noticing their shocked expressions, Duweenie simply chuckled. She knew they would change their minds after experiencing the food's taste and effects.